Shoe.



W. A. TURNER.

SHOE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 25. 1910.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT 0mm WILLIAM A. TURNER, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

Application filed April 25, 1910. Serial No. 557,386.

without a loss of strength. This I have accomplished through the use of a certain novel construction of fastening member, to gether with the arrangement of the same in such relation'to the inner sole as to develop great flexibility in advance, of the shank. The construction and relation of these parts will be more fully disclosed in the specification which follows.

In the drawings which form a part of this specification I have shown as an illustrative embodiment of the invention a construction which I find well adapted to practical use, such portions of the welt shoe being shown as seem desirable to make the construction clear to those skilled in the art.

Throughout specification and drawings like reference numerals are enn'tloifid to indicate corres 'ionding parts and indie drawings: Figure 1. is a plan view of my molded fas lening member and sole, Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3, an enlarged detail of such section at the toe portion, and Fig. 4, an enlarged section showing the position of the flange of the fastening member in stitching the welt.

A leather'inner sole 1 is shown as having a between substance 2 channeled up at each side of its shank portion. This between substance 2 is preferably present as it adds materially to the strength and form of the' shoe at this place, but is not necessary as the canvas fastening member might be permanently stitched to the sole 1 and hold the welt and upper without anv other 'l'astcuing.

The fastening member 3 is composed of two layers 31 and 32 oi canvas or other fabric united by an interposed layer of cementing rubber, or like material 33. The member 3 is prepared by cementing together the two layers of canvas 31 and 32 while flat, and is then molded over a form while wet in a molding machine into the shape shown in Figs. '2 and 3. In this molding a marginal flange 4 is turned up about the edge of the member 3 and molded back into an acute angle with relation to the body portion of the member 3. The member 3 after drying on a hot drum becomes a permanently formed -fastening member having a: sharply inclined flange of the same thickness as the body portion. the whole being flexible longi-- tudinally, but still' or resisting laterally, along the line of the "fold. The fastening member 3 is preferably lightly cemented to the sole 1 along the shank and has preferably also its flange 4 cemented to the between substance 2 of the sole 1 it the sole 1. is providcd with this feature. In advance of the shank. however, the molded :t'astening member is entirely tree of the sole 1.

5 is an upper and (l a welt strip. These are the oniy parts of the shoe necessary to be shown For the purpose of illustrating the assemblage of the parts.

In assembling a shoe containing the features oi my invention the textile fastening member 3. molded as described above. preferahly is fastened by cementing to the shank of the inner sole 1 as suggested. The fastening member and inner sole are then lasted to the upper 5 with the usual welt strip 6. During this operation the guide foot 10 of the stitching machine is run along the inside of the folded flange l following the acute angle of the crease formed at the juncture oi the flange 4 with the main body 3. As has been explained, the fastening member 3, on account of the molding of the two sheets 31 and 32 and the interposed cement has a considerable resisting quality along the line of this told and all'ords a considerable line of resistance against which the guiding toot can bear. This permits the laying of the stitching 11 in the proper place along this flange which. when thus stitched. has an ample strength to hold the welt. strip and the upper.

\Vith the shoe thus constructed there is great flcxiblity of the sole in advance of the shank as there is only the comparatively thin and flexible material of the fastening member 3 combined with the edges of the upper and the welt strip. This makes a seam which is not as still as if formed through a fold of textile as the stiffening effect of such a corrugation is avoided. If between substance 2 is channeled up on the leather solo at the shank of the shoe, both the canvas and the leather between substances are included in the stitching. thus affording great rigidity and strength at the central portion upon Which so much strain is brought. The forward portion of the inner sole 1, which overlies the fastening member 3 is entirely free, The ball and toe portions of the foot of the wearer, therefore, rest on this portion which is free to move or play in the shoe over and above the tops of the seams. This prevents any buckling or wrinkling of the parts and relieves very largely the strain upon the stitching which is present where a leather element is included in the stitching or the stitching passes through ribbed or folded canvas element. Y

My fastening member 3 may be formed of any suitable flexible material and may be united by any suitable means, although I find that the vulcanizable cementing is of great assistance in producing a permanent molding of the fastening member,

Various modifications may be made in the structure, in the shoe and in the assembingo and arrangement of the parts, in the manners of fastening, all in accordance with the spirit of my invention it Within the limits of the appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:--

l. A sole construction for a welt shoe comprising a relatively stitf upper foot contacting member and a lower, flexible, textile, welting i'nember having its margin. molded into an upturned flange at the shank, ball and toe to form a stitching line and united to said upper foot contacting member at the shank only.

2. A Welt shoe comprising an upper, a- Welt strip and an inner sole consisting of a relatively stilt upper foot contacting menr esepee her having heel, shank, ball and toe areas, and having a. lower flexible, textile, Welting member having its margin molded into an upturned ,flange and free from the foot con tacting member along the ball'and toe, said welt strip being stitched to the upturned flange of said molded, flexible, textile, Welti'ng member only, at the ball and toe.

23. A welt shoe comprising an upper, a writ slri p and an inner sole consisting of a substantially stifl upper ioot contacting iizcmber having heel, shank, ball and toe arr-as, and a lower flexible, textile, wetting member having its margin molded into an upturned flange and united to said upper toot contacting member at the shank only and free therefrom along the ball and toe, said welt strip being stitched to the upturned flange of said'molded, flexible, textile, Wetting member only, at the balland toe. I

l. A welt shoe comprising, an upper, a

welt strip, an inner sole comprising an up per foot contacting member and a lower flexible textile \veltmg member unlted there to at the shank only and havin its inar 'in folded or turned up at the shank, ball and.

toe to form a stitching line, a between suh-- stance fOPll'lGd on. said upper member at its shank only and adjacent to said fold and adapted to be pierced therewith in stitching together said upper, Welt strip and sole and an outer sole united to said welt strip.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM A, TURNER.

lVitnesses MARY E. ELDER, :HAROLD S. ELDER. 

